No one wants to buy a house with a
mold problem. Unfortunately, mold problems are not always easy to detect. If
you are looking to buy a home, learn how to detect mold in homes, get the
seller to disclose mold issues, and remove mold if you decide to buy a home
damaged by it.

Mold is a fungus that comes in
various colors (black, white, green, or gray) and shapes. While some molds are
visible and even odorous, mold can also grow between walls, under floors and
ceilings, or in less accessible spots, such as basements and attics. Mold does
best in water-soaked materials (paneling, wallboard, carpet, paint, ceiling
tiles, and the like) but can survive in almost any damp location. Mold can grow
in houses situated in the desert, and it can grow in homes in hot and humid
climes.

Here are some common places in a
home where mold is likely to take hold:

around
leaking pipes, windows, or roofs (the constant supply of water gives mold
spores the start they need)

any
place that’s been flooded and hasn’t been thoroughly dried

tightly
sealed buildings (common with new construction), which trap excess
moisture inside, and

in
homes with poor ventilation, numerous over-watered houseplants, and
housekeeping habits that ignore obvious dampness and don’t include airing
the place out.

Besides presenting an ugly
appearance and, sometimes, an unpleasant odor, mold can cause health problems.
In the worst cases, a few types of molds produce mycotoxins, which can cause
rashes, seizures, unusual bleeding, respiratory problems, and severe fatigue in
some people. Fortunately, most molds are of the non-toxic variety.

You won’t always know if there is
mold in a house you’re considering buying, but you can take a few easy steps to
try and find out.

Be on the lookout for mold

When you’re thinking about buying a home, look for the elements above to figure
out if there are any obvious signs of mold or the potential for mold. Keep your
eyes peeled for standing water in the basement, water marks on walls
(particularly recent-looking stains), or musty smells (particularly in
bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, cabinets with plumbing, or other
areas with plumbing).

Ask your home inspector

If you have the home professionally inspected before you buy it, your home
inspector may see obvious signs of mold or water damage. While it’s not the
inspector’s job to look for mold, most home inspectors will mention obvious
signs of water damage and the possible presence of mold. And because the
inspector will poke around in spaces you might not, he or she may see things
you wouldn’t.

Don’t hesitate to ask whether the
inspector saw signs of mold or potential mold dangers, and ask that these
results be included in the inspection report. Some inspectors may be wary of
this, because they want to avoid liability for any mold-related problems. But
all should be comfortable talking to you about whether they saw anything
suspicious.

Ask the seller to disclose any mold
or water-related problems

In addition, ask questions about
things that could lead to mold growth, such as “Have any pipes ever burst?” or
“Have any of the windows ever leaked?”

Sellers are required to disclose on
the Residential Property Condition Disclosure Form and knowledge or treatment
for mold. Keep in mind that the seller’s duty to disclose only relates to
things the seller knows about or reasonably should know about -- he or she
doesn’t have a duty to go poking around in the walls to see if there’s mold,
for example. That’s another reason it’s a good idea to ask about potential
mold-causing problems. The seller may know of these conditions without being
able to confirm there’s actual mold growth.

Professional
Mold Testing

According to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), testing for mold isn’t usually necessary when it’s
visible on surfaces. Most people will end up relying on the detection methods
discussed above.

However, if you suspect mold is
present in the home, but none is visible, you might elect to hire a
professional mold testing company. These companies test the air in and around
the home. They can also dig into walls and take samples, which they later test
in a laboratory. Testing the air usually costs several hundred dollars. If the
company takes wall samples, the cost will be even higher.

You can use the results from mold testing
in two ways when negotiating a home purchase:

You
can add a mold-related contingency to your offer which states that if mold
problems are discovered, you can back out of the agreement.

If
the testing company finds a significant mold problem, you can use this to
negotiate a lower price on the home or get the seller to agree to pay for
the cost of mold removal.